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[bannonb]

I'm a long time user of Media Center but a Mac neophyte...

I have an Audioengine D1 USB DAC on a Macbook Pro with RCA connections to the Audioengine 5+ powered speakers.

Audio is flowing from Media Center and from the system (notifications, etc).  The problem comes when trying to match their volume levels.  If I listen to a song loudly, then a calendar notification comes up, it's so loud it scares the dog!

If I have the USB or amp turned down to make system notifications tolerable, then Media Center doesn't get very loud.

Mac system volume control disappears when I select my DAC as the output device.  It shows pegged at full volume and is grayed out.  So I can only adjust volume of system sounds external to the Mac (on the DAC or speakers). 

Media Center allows me to control volume within the app when volume mode is internal.  But again the Mac

Any ideas from you Mac experts?
--How to turn up Media Center a lot so it matches system sounds
--or how to turn down system sounds globally so I can crank the DAC and get loud MediaCenter music.

Your help is appreciated.  I'll also pose this to the Audioengine people to see if they have thoughts.

BannonB

[blgentry]

Luckily, this is easily solved.

Open System Preferences (looks like a gear icon in your dock).  Go to Sound.  On the sound dialog, you'll see buttons across the top.  Click the one that says "Sound Effects".  On that screen you can control the volume of the sound effects *and* what device they go to.  One option is to send the sound effects to the built in audio device, which will probably play through the built in speakers on the MBP.  Or you can dramatically lower the volume.  Or turn it all the way down, which turns them off.

Brian.

[bannonb]

Thanks for the reply.

I have that turned down to about 20%.

It appears I have one app that is most offensive and doesn't appear to adhere to that system level...Lotus Notes.  I just disabled those very loud calendar alerts and I'll bet it's handled.

Thanks again.

BannonB

[blgentry]

Keep in mind you can assign the alert sounds to another sound card, so you can turn that sound card's volume down to deal with Notes or whatever else sends loud alerts.  I hope your current solution works; just some extra info in case it doesn't.

Brian.